Icer for bakery products



Nov. 21, 1950 N. w. WALKER ICER FOR BAKERY PRODUCTS Filed Oct. 8, 1948 IN V EN TOR. XVe/.son W Wa//re fr f4 T ONEK Patented Nov. 2l, `1950 ICER FOR BAKERY PRODUCTS Nelson W. Walker, Youngstown, Ohio Application October 8, 1948, Serial No. 53,580

2 Claims.

This invention relates to icing machines and more particularly to icing machines having variable discharge oriiices for applying icing to various bakery products and the like.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a machine for applying icing to bakery products.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a portable machine for applying icing to bakery products.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a combination conveyor for bakery goods and an icer for applying icing to bakery goods on the said conveyor.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and eiiicient means of applying icing to various bakery products.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means for applying icing to bakery products and controllable as to the width and number of the sheet oi icing so applied.

The icing machine shown and described herein comprises essentially the combination of a con- Veyor adapted for handling bakery products such as rolls, cakes and the like whereby the said products may be moved passed a given point at a predetermined rate and a device for applying a continuous ribbon-like sheet of icing to the said bakery products on the said conveyor. The icing machine portion oi the device is so arranged that the icing may be delivered in a ribbon-like sheet of any desired width or in a plurality of ribbonlike sheets of desirable width.

Among the more important objects of the invention, that of applying a uniform coating of icing to the various bakery products, will be recognized by those skilled in the art as particularly desirable. Additionally, the object of speeding up the icing step in the production of various iced bakery goods is important and the device disclosed herein meets these objects and produces superior iced bakery goods in that the icing is of uniform thickness and covers the entire bakery product including the irregular surface contours thereof in a highly desirable manner.

With the foregoingl and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made Within the scope of what is claimed Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the icer for bakery products with parts broken away and parts Amembers II and I2, respectively, which have an endless conveyor I3 trained thereover, the conveying surface of which comprises a plurality of transversely extending metal rods I4 arranged in closely spaced relation. The housing I0 and the conveyor supporting and moving means II include spaced parallel tracks I5 in which the conveyor I3 travels. The housing I0 includes a longitudinally extending pan I6 arranged underneath the upper portion of the conveyor I3 and forms a means for catching crumbs from the bakery products placed on the conveyor or icing deposited thereon as the case may be. In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings bakery products Il are illustrated in position on the conveyor I3 and arrows indicate the movement of the conveyor. The description of the conveyor herein given Will be recognized by those skilled in the art as relating to more or less conventionally styled bakery goods conveyors.

In connection with the bakery goods I1 on the conveyor I3 it will be observed that they are arranged in end to end relation with a, minimum of space therebetween so that they will pass in a continuous line beneath an icing nozzle I8 positioned transversely of the conveyor I3. The nozzle I8 is supported by means of a tubular member I9, a portion of which is horizontally disposed and a portion of which is vertically disposed. The lowermost end of the vertical portion of the tubular member I9 is in communication with an orice 20 in the lower part of a cylindrical container 2 I. The cylindrical container 2I is a pressure vessel mounted on a supporting frame 22 and includes a pair of spaced wheels 23 lending portability thereto, a vertical handle 24 being provided on the wheels 23 so that the container 2| may be conveniently moved as desired.r

The upper end of the container 2| is provided with a closure 25 and the closure is retained in tight relation on the container 2I by means of a plurality of radially spaced clamps 26. The closure 25 is removable from the container 2l by loosening the clamps 26. An air pressure line 2 communicates with an orifice in the closure 25 and incorporates a pressure gauge 28 and a manually adjustable pressure regulator 29. The air pressure line 2 is placed in communication `Awlth a suitable source of com-pressed air -such as an air compressor 30 which may be remotely located, if desired, by means of a suitable connecting me'A dium such as a exible hose 3 I.

The tubular nozzle I8 may be seen in enlarged cross sectional detail in Figure 3 as Well as in operative relation to the conveyor I3 and the bakery products I'I thereon in Figures 1 and 2 and by referring to Figure 3 of the drawings vit will be seen that the tubular nozzle I8 comprises a cylindrical member having a l.closure 32 .at one end and a piston 33 slidably positioned therein. The .nozzle I8 has a longitudinally extending `slot 34 formed in the bottom thereof through which icing is discharged in a ribbon-like sheet. The icing .is delivered into the .tubular nozzle L3 from :the 'tubular member I9 and through acontrol Yvalve 3.5, as best shownin Figures 1 land 2 of the drawings. Upon enteringithe tubular nozzle I8, vthe icing will oW outwardly therefrom through the restricted orifice de-ned k:by the .longitudinally extending "the outermostend thereof.

It will thus lb e seen that when rolls, such as tare commonly .baked in group-like units of twelve connected rolls, are to be iced v:they are placed :in Aendto end relation onfthe-conveyor lf3 and-moved thereby beneath :the tubular :nozzle .I 8, ithe ,piston '.33 being adjusted `to vary .the effective length ,of itheslotd in thefnozzle i8 whereby a-ribbon-like sheet ,of Vicing -is :deposited .on ithe ,rolls .as they pass :in under the fnozzle. The :mountingiand Varrangement :of 1the tubular nozzle I8 'with respect itc the containerl will be seen to provide .radesired degree Aof 'flexibility with .respect to the .ad-

V.iustment .of :the -nozzle `I8 .and in relation :to the positioning, size, shape, feto., of the bakery :products Il on the conveyors I3.

.Atsuch times asparallelrowso bakery productsare to be iced, -thepiston 3'I is removed [from the tubular `nozzle =I18 anda modied piston 539 Vsubstituted therefor as may best be seeninfFigure 4 of thedrawings. The modified pistonincludes a plurality of piston-like units spaced with respect to one another in an adjustable manner on a rod 48 and the assembly is in turn arranged for longitudinal movement within the tubular nozzle I8. Several of the piston-like members 39 are bored longitudinally so that icing introduced into one end of the nozzle I8 will iiow through at least one of the piston-like members 39 while the piston ,itself blocks a portion of the slot 34 in the tubular nozzle. "It will thus be seen that -a plurality of parallel ribbon-like sheets of icing will be `discharged from the nozzle thereby insuring the parallel rows 4of bakery products to be properly iced as they pass beneath said nozzle.

.It Will .thus Ehe seen that a simple and eiicient icer for bakery products has been disclosed which meets the several objects of the invention.

yHaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

,.1. In an icing machine for bakery products, a pressure vessel and an .elongated tubular icing discharge nozzle in communication therewith and means for applying pressure to the said pressure vessel .whereby icing .may be moved .therefrom `through 4the .said .discharge nozzle, the .said discharge nozzle having a longitudinally .extending slot .in the ,lower part .thereof ,and ,a multiple headed piston in the said .discharge nozzle for movement therealong for blocking .the .Said slot at spaced intervals, Apassagevvays .through at least one .of .said piston heads whereby spaced icing discharge outlets are yformed in saidslot.

2. In an icer for bakery .products atubular nozzle, a source -of icing in communication .with said tubular nozzle and means .for moving said ,icing from the Asaid source through .the said nozzle, V,a longitudinally .extending Aslot nin ,said :nozzle ,and ,a multiple headed pistondisposed .insaid tubular nozzle, the said-multiple heads-of said piston .being spaced with respect to lone. anoth er Vand some of .the said `heads being drilled ,longitudinally whereby icing may be .delivered to .the .said ,slot at spaced intervals therealong .between the said spaced heads of the multiplepiston, and the mul- .tiple ,heads of the piston serve -to .block :the said Vslot at spaced intervals therealong.

-NELSON W.

REFERENCES CITED The following .references are of record iin fthe iile rolf this rpatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS vNumber Name Date l1,39Q,36'7 Massey 1 .Sept .1-3, 1921 1,518,307 Cooke ,De c. v9, 1924 ,1;804,735 .Barnes 4et al. .May.12, 193,1 .2,320,529 -MacManus June ,1, 19513 .2,431,029 vDuff-y Nov. 18,1947 

